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On the scenic slopes of Mount Emei, a white snake that had cultivated its powers for many years finally took human form. She named herself Bai Suzhen, packed her belongings, and prepared to enter the human world.
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Traveling with her was her close friend Xiaoqing, a cheerful girl who had once been a green snake. The two chatted and laughed all the way, and by the Qingming Festival, they had reached the shores of West Lake.
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The spring rain poured down heavier and heavier, and the pair ran to take shelter under Broken Bridge. Just then, a young man carrying an oiled paper umbrella walked over and offered them his umbrella.
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The young man's name was Xu Xian, a traveling doctor who went from neighborhood to neighborhood treating patients. As they walked side by side under the umbrella, he told the two girls all sorts of things about identifying medicinal herbs and caring for the sick.
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Later, the three met several more times. Bai Suzhen took the initiative to tell Xu Xian she came from a distant mountain and had some unusual abilities, and slowly, they began to develop romantic feelings for one another.
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After getting to know each other deeply, Xu Xian and Bai Suzhen got married. The three of them rented a shopfront on a busy market street and opened a small herbal clinic, planning to help as many people as they could together.
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The clinic not only sold medicinal herbs, but also offered free checkups for poor people who could not afford medical care. Bai Suzhen could identify all kinds of rare herbs, Xu Xian wrote the prescriptions, and Xiaoqing delivered medicine to patients who could not travel to the clinic.
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That summer, a severe plague broke out in the city. Bai Suzhen immediately headed into the mountains to gather life-saving herbs, Xiaoqing boiled clean water in their courtyard, and Xu Xian busied himself teaching everyone how to prevent the spread of the disease.
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They did not hoard their treatment methods for themselves; instead, they shared everything with every doctor in the city. Working together as one, the sick people in the city gradually recovered their health.
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Monk Fahai from Jinshan Temple heard about Bai Suzhen and grew suspicious. He found Xu Xian and told him Bai Suzhen was a demon who would bring disaster to the human world, urging Xu Xian to leave her immediately.
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Xu Xian refused to believe a word of it. He demanded Fahai produce solid proof, saying Bai Suzhen had spent all her time saving people. A person's goodness, he argued, was never determined by their origin, but by their actions.
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When the Dragon Boat Festival arrived, the family prepared celebratory wine. Unexpectedly, the strong alcoholic wine stripped Bai Suzhen of her shape-shifting magic, and she accidentally revealed her true form as a white snake. Xu Xian fainted on the spot from the shock.
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When Xu Xian woke up, he felt hurt that Bai Suzhen had hidden her identity from him. She apologized sincerely, saying she had been afraid she would be driven away if she told him the truth. The pair promised never to keep secrets from each other again, and slowly rebuilt their trust.
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But Fahai refused to change his mind. He forcibly brought Xu Xian to Jinshan Temple, hoping to separate the two for good. Xu Xian strongly opposed having others make choices for him, and secretly wrote a letter asking Xiaoqing for help.
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When Xiaoqing received the letter, she gathered many villagers and doctors who had been helped by Bai Suzhen, and they all followed Bai Suzhen to Jinshan Temple. Bai Suzhen did not cause any trouble; she only asked to speak with Fahai publicly.
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Everyone present shared stories of how Bai Suzhen had helped them. Xu Xian also came out of the temple to confirm all the kind things she had done. Looking at what unfolded before him, Fahai finally realized how absurd his prejudice had been.
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But old rules were still in place, so Bai Suzhen had to live temporarily in Leifeng Pagoda while a special committee reviewed her case. She agreed to the arrangement, only demanding that the review be fair and have a clear deadline.
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Not long after, days of heavy rain damaged Leifeng Pagoda's foundation, and the structure began to shake. Fahai worked with Xiaoqing to evacuate the crowd, while Xu Xian found a way to rescue Bai Suzhen from the collapsing pagoda.
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This experience of working together to save lives showed everyone that people from different backgrounds could stand side by side to protect one another. The committee ultimately abolished the old rules. Fahai also issued a public apology, and even helped build a new medical clinic.
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The herbal clinic by West Lake opened its doors again. Bai Suzhen taught people to identify medicinal herbs, Xu Xian trained new apprentices, and Xiaoqing went out to join rescue efforts. The old oiled paper umbrella hung by the front door, becoming a perfect memento of their journey. Kindness can break through all prejudice. Sincerity and respect are the only way to sustain relationships, and feelings proven through actions are always far more powerful than one's origin.